Click here for a visual of the Kitchen Uniform Requirements.
Uniform is extremely important when working in Hospitality. Under Food Safety laws, anyone who handles food has a responsibility to ensure that the food they prepare is safe. One of the ways you can do this is by making sure your staff are following uniform guidelines.
Three main rules of uniform
These guidelines are in place to make sure that your staff are operating under the three main points of uniform: suitable, clean, and protective.
- Suitable uniforms: professional, and suited for the role that they are performing.
- Front of House staff therefore might wear branded shirts so that they can be easily identified by customers.
- Back of House staff must wear uniforms suited to the kitchen.
- Clean uniforms: make sure that your staff are not transferring bacteria from their clothes, contaminating your food.
- Protective uniforms: protect your staff from common kitchen injuries.
It is your duty to make sure that you are enforcing the correct uniform in your premises and providing your staff with the correct items.
Hair
- Hair should be covered with a hat when working with food, to prevent hair falling in to food.
- Long hair must be tied back.
- Beards should be cleaned and trimmed.
- Long beards should be covered with a beard snood whilst handling food.
Clothes
- Staff should be covered and comfortable.
- Clothing that is too tight can cause irritation, especially when working in high temperature kitchens.
- Tight-fitting trousers and leggings are also dangerous should they have hot oil spilled on them or should they catch fire.
- It is a good idea to ask staff to change into their uniform when on-site, to prevent them from bringing dirt and bacteria into the premises on their clothes.
- Clothing that is too loose can be trapped in equipment, leading to injury.
- Legs in particular need to be covered - no shorts or skirts allowed!
- Exposed legs are susceptible to burns and cuts.
Apron
- Your apron should be clean upon entering your kitchen,
- We recommend supplying your staff with multiple aprons so they can make sure they always have one washed ready for their shift.
- It should be taken off when leaving the kitchen and put back on when re-entering (only after washing your hands!)
- Staff should change aprons after handling raw food: meat, poultry, eggs, unwashed vegetables.
- They should be made of flame-retardant material to prevent injury when working with hot oil and open flames.
- Correctly tied and easy to remove if required.
Shoes
- You should have a separate pair of shoes that are worn during your shift only.
- Prevent you from tracking dirt and bacteria into your premises.
- Shoes should be non-slip to prevent nasty falls around equipment.
- They must enclose the front of the foot to prevent injury from dropped items and hot oil.
- Shoes should also be comfortable and supportive
- Long periods of standing in shoes that do not support your foot can lead to muscle pain, shin splints, and other harmful injuries that will make working on your feet painful.
Jewellery and Make-Up
- Jewellery should be removed before entering the kitchen.
- Rings and bracelets can collect bacteria as they prevent your hands and wrists from being fully washed and can transfer bacteria to your food.
- Please note: a simple wedding band is permitted. Any rings with stones that can come loose or crevices for bacteria to hide in are not permitted.
- Necklaces and bracelets can get caught in equipment, leading to dangerous injuries. They can also dangle into food, leading to cross-contamination.
- Ear and facial piercings should also be removed or covered with tape whilst working with food, as the small back pieces or ball closures can fall out into food.
- Staff should not wear make-up or nail polish in the kitchen.
- This includes items like acrylic nails and false eyelashes.
- This is to make sure that no bits of the product flake off and contaminate food.
Remember: Under the Food Safety Act 1990, “rendering food injurious to health” by “adding any article or substance to the food” is considered an offence.